Brandon Lilly Training Log: Sorry for The Hurt Feelings In Advance
I had the honor of competing in California at Mark Bell's SuperTraining gym on November 3rd, 2012, and it has taken me this long to really reflect upon what I learned out there. The first lesson is going to sound a bit egotistical, but I learned that I have finally made the jump mentally to allow myself to KNOW that I can compete with anyone. As long as I do my very best, I am prepared for the competition. The second lesson I learned is that there is a tremendous POSITIVE following for powerlifting. All I heard while living in "The Columbus Bubble" was all the negative shit, and hatred in powerlifting. The individuals I trained with weren't necessarily evil or negative, but it is like this negativity just loomed over everything powerlifting and I honestly felt that powerlifting was eternally doomed to be a dungeon cliche' or at best a YMCA side show. But at Mark's meet EVERY single person was positive, from the newest lifters to the seasoned veterans you could just feel the positive energy and excitement behind the lifting. This was a huge bonus I hadn't expected.
The third lesson is the one that will hurt feelings. People will call me a "raw zealot", a baby murdered, and a rapist, Im sure of it... But the truth has to be told. I have been to every big powerlifting meet in Multi Ply lifting, and I have never seen lifters that looked like the raw lifters in California. These guys were animals. Savage looking, huge muscle bellies, and backs built to pull massive weight. And guess what else? They weren't fat sloppy looking guys barely able to breathe... That was me. I was the newcomer looking like a land whale. I honest to God sweat through 3 shirts, and was completely amazed at how all the other guys such as The Lillibridges, Pete Rubish, Brent Willis, Stan Efferding, George Leeman, and Dan Green, all looked like they could run a damn marathon come in and just power through whatever. So I hate to say this to my gear whore community friends, WE HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO BECOME PUSSIES.
You disagree? Ok, maybe the top 2-3% in powerlifting actually have a base of muscle. I see so many guys at multi ply meets that have me wondering if they are somebody's brother or handler, but surely to God they aren't.... Yes they are lifting. Oh and they squat 880 lbs... But I just watched his knees collapse, and back round with 315 on his warmups. But guess what? That is what multi ply powerlifting has become. Again I am not talking to the top guys as they are the top because they have actually done the work to get there. I am talking about all the people that threw on gear two weeks after they started training. What I am preaching to my Cube Lifters, and really anyone that will listen is that lifting in gear is fine, great even, but be worthy of it. If you total Elite in gear but you couldnt touch an Elite raw total Im speaking to you...
For example, my good friend Brian Carroll free squatted a weight that was in the neighborhood of 900 at the top, so lets assume he can squat 800, I know he benches in the mid 5's, and pulls over 700 raw Im giving Brian a 2050-2150 total Raw without even training for it. That is some very exclusive company as a 275 considering the record is mid 2200's. Matt Wenning is another prime example I have seen him squat very heavy weight raw, and he just benched 600 lbs in a meet. What I'm getting at and these are just a couple of examples, is both of these guys cut their teeth lifting hard and heavy before they ever touched the gear. Maybe a ten week raw cycle could benefit you? Maybe jumping in a raw meet would expose some weaknesses you need to improve upon. Remember powerlifting is much bigger than just multi-ply... Could you hold your own in any discipline?
